Imee not giving up on term extension for barangay officials

CEBU, Philippines — Senator Imee Marcos has assured that she will still look for ways to extend the term of the newly-elected barangay officials, whose term will end in December 2025.

“Sobrang luging-lugi naman ang mga kapitan at mga SK kasi kahahalal lang nila last October tapos may election na naman on December 2025. Naku, pulos election na lang tayo,” said Marcos in a press conference yesterday in Cebu.

Last year, the Supreme Court issued a decision that the next Barangay and SK Elections (BSKE) will be done on the first Monday of December 2025 and every three years thereafter.

This after Comelec filed a motion for reconsideration before the SC asking for the postponement of the December 2025 BSKE to October 2026 to give the BSKE 2023 winners their three-year term.

“We are making an effort to appeal but the Supreme Court denied it yung extension of term. So problema nga namin yun kung papaano gagawin yan. Hirap ang ating mga barangay officials. Ano ba ang ipapakita mo wala ka pang accomplishments saka masyadong magastos ang election,” said Marcos, who is the Senate committee chairperson on Election Reforms.

It was Marcos who filed a Resolution at the Senate to extend the term of barangay officials from 2019 to 2022 and then in 2022 to 2023.

“Ang problema masyadong maikli yung term nila ngayon at masyadong hassle sa Comelec kasi two elections in one year of different types. Yung isa automated at yung isa is manual,” says the presidential sister.

Marcos was referring to the automated midterm election for national and local officials and the manual election for the barangay captains, barangay councilor, as well as Sangguniang Kabataan officials.

Meanwhile, the senator, together with Mandaue City Mayor Jonas Cortes will lead today the distribution of financial assistance to 1,004 beneficiaries in 22 barangays in the city with a total amount of P5,020,000.

The beneficiaries are typhoon Odette victims in the city and the assistance came from the National Housing Authority’s Emergency Housing Assistance Program. — (FREEMAN)